A conversation about journalism, the internet, media, trust, truth, libraries & archives, social networks & publishing, and the democratisation of doubt - with occasional photographs and a nod to cinema.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Consumer Watchdog: The Algorithm

The rankings are based on what the company calls the TrustScore, weighted for relevance so for example, older ratings count for less, while ratings from trusted sources count for more. The rating is calculated on a scale from 0 to 100. The higher the score, the happier consumers are about the company being rated.

The viability of TrustPilot’s offering is based on the fact that customer service levels across the board are pretty inconsistent. Online purchases especially are influenced in part by appearances, with many e-shoppers still determining the trustworthiness of a company based on design and branding, or who appears first in Google.